Flower ID: IMG_0456.JPG-05-21-2017 Flower name (scientific): Arisaema triphyllum Schott PY: 1832. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) air-ih-SAY-mah try-FY-lum Flower name (common): Jack-in-the-pulpit Family name (common): Arum Family name (scientific): Araceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Derived from a combination of the Greek aris, a type of arum, and haema meaning blood. Specific epithet: 3-leaved. Common name origin: The plant consists of a spathe, colored green and purple, supposedly resembling a pulpit, and curving over a light-green colored spadix referred to as the "Jack". Hence the common name. The staminate or pistillate flowers occur at the base of the spadix. Flower description: Size: 0.05 to 0.1 inches (1.3 to 2.5 mm) Petal count: 0 Color: green Other: flower arrangement, Spadix Plant description: Erect Size: 12 to 36 inches (30 to 90 cm) tall. Stem hairy: Glabrous Other: The plant contains oxalic acid, which is poisonous if ingested. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals as raphides, which can cause major throat irritation. Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is compound Size: Leaflets typically up to about 18 cm long and up to approximately 8 cm wide. Color: Light to dark green. Hairy: Glabrous Other: One or two and long-stalked. Shape: leaf, palmately divided, leaflet, elliptic to broadly ovate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): April to June Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, forrests; partial sun or shade, moist. Fruit: Initially a dense cluster of green berries, turning bright red at maturity. Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes when in bloom. Ethnobotany: The Chippewa and the Menominee utilized this plant as an eye medicine (Smith, p. 356, 1932; Smith, p. 23, 1923). The Iroquois employed this plant for at least twelve different medical conditions. At least eight other tribes used the plant to treat medical issues (Moerman, p. 91, 1998). The Potawatomi used this plant as a food source, cooking the roots in an open pit oven (Smith, p. 96, 1933). The roots if eaten raw are considered poisonous. One of the common names of this plant, Indian Turnip, suggests its use as a food source. The Meskwaki formerly used the root to reduce the swelling from a rattle snake bite. The same tribe used the plant as a poison, by adding the root, presumeably uncooked, to meat and then fed to their enemies, which included the Sioux (Smith, p. 202, 1928). Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: Arum triphyllum Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 965. 1753. Homotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 3 homotypic synonyms for this species. Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 28 heterotypic synonyms for this species. Autonym:na (Though the FNA lists three subspecies the IPNI does not. The subspecies being elevated to species). Wetland Status (NC): FAC Wetland Status (MW): FACW